Mail-elevator.



G. D. PETERSON.

MAIL ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. I916.

1,21 8,800. Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

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MAIL ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. 1916.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

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GEORGE D. PETERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters li'atent.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

Application filed March 20, 1916. Serial No. 85,277.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that l, Gnoncn D. PETERSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of- Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Elevators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact-description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

In large apartment buildings and in flat buildings, separate mail boxes are provided for each apartment or flat and are usually.

arranged and mounted in proper order in one of the walls of the entrance vestibule of the building. Under this arrangement, the.

transparent front piece or through the aperture itself used to deposit the mail as usually provided in mail boxes of the ordinary. With such an arrangement trouble.

types. and annoyance has been experienced because mail deposited in the. boxes has been tampered with or stolen before it has reached the proper party. Another cause of annoyance in mail box arrangements of this kind is the fact that the one to whom mail is sent must necessarily make a trip down one or more flights of stairs each time mail is deposited in order to obtain the same.

This invention relates to an improved mail elevator arrangement adapted to conceal delivered mail from view and to prevent removal thereof through the mail receiving aperture after the same has been deposited, and so equipped that the deposited mail may be raised from above by a flexible mail box or carrier movable in a chute, and which may be drawn up to the proper apartment or office of an apartment or office building, after which the mail carrier automatically returns to the bottom of the chute.

It is an object of this invention to construct a mail chute having a flexible mail carrier movably mounted therein accessible from the upper end of the chute.

It is also an important object of this invention to construct a mail chute having an opening near the lower end for incoming mail and provided with a flexibly constructed mail box adapted to receive the mail and carry the same to the upper end of the chute wherethe mail may be removed through a door in thechute after which the mail box provided with frictional governing means is automatically returned to the lower end of the chute.

It is furthermore an important object of this invention to construct a mail chute provided with a mail box adapted to receive mail through a shuttered opening at the lower end of the chute, and by manual operation deliver the same to the upper end of the chute where the mail may be removed, after which the mail box under frictional control is au-' tomatically returned to the lower end of the chute.

It is finally an object of thisinvention to provide a device constructed to prevent tampering with deposited mail, and having a 'fiexible mail box therein adapted to be manually transferred to one end of the mail chute and automatically returned.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a conventional front view, partly broken away, showing an arrangement of mail chutes'supposedly extending to difierent floors of a building and embodying the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the upper end of a mail chute with the front cover plate removed; I

Fig. 4; is a section taken on line 4.-l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is section taken on-line 55 of Fig.4, with parts omitted.

a mail chute with the rear base plate re-' moved, and with parts omitted.

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9+9 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 10 is a section online 1010 of Fig. 8 with the shutter. lowered. r

Fig. 11 is a section on line 11l1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 12 is a section on line 12-12 of Fig. 4..

As shown on the drawings: I

The reference numeral 1, indicates a wall of a building having installed therein a plu rality of mail chutes 2, all of which originate on the lower floor of the building and each of which has its upper end terminating in a different apartment or story of the building. Said chutes 2, may be of metal or other suitable material and may be straight or curved at certain portions in the length thereof as shown by the numeral 3, to conform to the wall or extend around any beams or obstructions which may occur in the path of the same. liemovably mounted on the lower front surface of each chute is a front plate 4, attached by means of screws and having a horizontal slot 5, therein for receiving mail, and mounted in any suitable manner across the inner surface of the front plate l, below the slot 5, and slanting down'imrdly therefrom is a flap or guide plate 6, adapted to guide the mail received through the slot 5.

.Pivotally secured at one of its ends on the inner surface of the rear wall near the lower end of the mail chute, and at one side thereof, is a contact bar or arm 7, the other end of which is pivotally attached to the lower end of a vertical. lever 3, which extends up ardly beyond the slot 5, and has its upper end pivotally connected to alag or projection 9, integrally formed on or rigidly secured to one of the upper corners of a weighteu shutter 10, pivotally mounted by means of a. pivot pin 11, on the inner surface of the front plate Said shutter has a curved or arcshaped slot 12, therein, through which extends a guide pin 13, for guiding said shutter in its movement about the pin 11.

Movably mounted within the chute 2, is a flexible mail box or carrier comprising an upper supporting axle 141-, having rotatably and centrally secured thereon a large guide wheel 15, made of raw-hide, ruhberor othe suitable material, over which is arched a yoked hanger 16, the legs of which are disposed one on either side of the wheel 15, and pivotally engaged on the axle ll. Pivotally mounted on both ends of the axle 14;, are chains of oval disks 17, the ends of each d of which are pivotally attached to one another. Said disks of the respective chains -have passing through them pairs of cross rods 18, each having rotatably mounted on each end thereof at the outside of the disks a mall raw-hide or rubber wheel 19, which extends beyond the periphery of said disks. Connected to the lower end of each of the lowermost disks 17, is a weighted axle 20, also havin centrally and rotatably mounted thereon another guide wheel 15. Project ing outwardly from each of the two uppermost and two lowermost disks 17, is a bracket 21, each having pivotally mounted on the outer end thereof a small raw-hide or rubber wheel 22, disposed in a plane at right angles to said disks 17.

For the purpose of holding mail within the flexible mail box, a base plate 23, is rigidly secured to and between the two lowermost disks 17, above the lowermost cross rods 18, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 9. Se-

cured to each of the second pair of cross rods 18, from the upper end of the mail box, is a canvas or heavy cloth bag 24, extending downwardly on the inside of the third set of cross rods, and having its lower end secured to the base plate 23, thus, with the sidewall disks 17, forming a flexible compartment or carrier for holding mail. Also secured to the uppermost rod 18, toward the front of chute 2, is a canvas or heavy cloth drop 25, the lower edge of which is free and ex- 1-1,il(lS downwardly on the inside of the bag 2-1, as shown in Fig.- 9.

The chute 2, at its upper end terminates in a large compartment 26, which is adjacent to an offset and smaller compartment 27, separated from compartment 26, by a wall 28. Secured on the inner surface of the upper wall of each of said compartments 26 and 27, are pulleys 29, having acord or cable 30, engaged over the pulley wheels. One end of said cord is secured to the yoked hanger 16, and the other end is connected to a shaft 31, journaled in the front and back walls 32 and 33, respectively, common to both of the compartments 26 and 27. Secured on one end of the shaft 31, adjacent to the wall 32, is a spider having a plurality of arms 3&, and secured on the opposite end of the shaft 31, is a friction governor comprising a circular plate 35, having pivotally mounted on the side adjacent the wall 33, a pair of oppositely disposed governor arms or levers 36, each having a weight 37, integrally formed at the outer ends, and with the inner ends thereof each provided with an inwardly directed head 38. Also secured on said plate 35, are a pair of springs 39, adapted to bear against said weights 37, to normally hold said governor arms 36, with the weighted ends 37, swung inwardly toward the shaft 31. Rigidly secured on the inner surface of the wall 33, supporting one end of the shaft 31, is a friction sleeve 10, upon which the heads 38, friction-ally bear when the shaft 31, rotates at a speed sufficient to force the weights 37, outwardly against the force of the springs 39. Attached to the outer end of the shaft 31, which extends through the wall 32, is a crank 11, adapted for manually turning the shaft 31, to wind up the cord 30, when it is desired to elevate the flexible mail box to the upper end of the chute 2.

In order to remove the mail from the mail box when it has been raised to the upper end of the chute, a door 12, is provided in the wall 32, said door having an inwardly directed projection 43, integral with or rigidly secured on one of the lower corners of the door which is so positioned that when the same is closed the projection 13, contacts with the surface of the wall 28, as shown in Figs. 4: and 11. Mounted within the compartment 27 on the wall 28, opposite and parallel to the shaft 31, is a bar or bolt 44, having a longitudinal slot 45, therein through which project guide pins 46, secured to the wall 28, and adapted to hold said bolt upon the wall. The ends of said bolt 44, are bent outwardly at right angles toward the shaft 31, to provide flanges 47 and 48, said flange 47, being so positioned that it is contacted with by the projection 43, when the door 42, is closed, thus pushing the bolt 44, rearwardly against the stress of a spring 49, placed between the wall 33, and the flange 48. To hold the mail box stationary at the upper end of the chute to permit removal of the mail therefrom, a lug or stop 50, is integrally formed on the upper edge of the bolt 44, and projects toward the shaft 31, beyond the outer ends of the spider arms 34, so that when the door 42, is opened, the spring 49, forces the bolt 44, outwardly to a position where the stop 50, is contacted by one of the spider arms 34, thus preventing the rotation of the shaft 31, in a reverse direction.

The operation is as follows:

In normal position the flexible mail box is positioned at the lower end of the chute 2, with the weighted axle 20, contacting with and pressing downwardly on the arm 7, which is pivotally moved and held in its lowest position as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. With the downward movement of the arm 7, the lever 8, is actuated downwardly and moves the shutter 10, upwardly into an open position thus permitting mail to be inserted through the slot 5, onto the guide plate 6, and into the flexible mail. box between the drop 25, and the front wall of the bag 24, from where it drops upon the base plate 23, which is positioned below the upper end of the curtain 24, a distance sufficient to permit the upper end of the mail to clear the lower end of the drop 25, after which said drop falls back into place against the front of the ba 24, and prevents the deposited mail from being seen or removed through the slot/5.

By turning the crank 41, the cord 30, is wound upon the shaft 31, thus raising the flexible mail box, releasing the arm 7, and permitting the shutter 10, to automatically drop and close the slot 5, so that mail cannot be inserted when the mail carrier is not in position to receive it. The turning of the crank 41, is continued until the flexible mail carrier is at the upper end of the chute 2, in the compartment 26. The door 42, is then opened, releasing the bolt 44, which is shot outwardly by the spring 49, the stop 50, moving into a position to be contacted with by one of the spider arms 34, thus preventing a reverse rotation of the shaft 31, and holding the mail box stationary to permit the drop 25, to be pushed back so that the mail may be removed from the carrier.

The door 42, is then closed, the projection 43, pressing against the flange 47, forcing the bolt 44, back against the spring 49, and automatically releasing the, stop 50, from contact with the spider arm 34. The weight of the mail carrier pulls downwardly on the cord 30, rotating the shaft 31, in a reverse direction until the mail carrier reaches the lower end of the chute 2, and contacts with the arm 7, thus automatically lifting the shutter 10. To prevent the mail box from moving downwardly with too great a. speed and to prevent the breaking of the working mechanisms of the device, the friction governor is actuated by the rotation of the shaft 31, throwing the weights 37, outwardly against the springs 39, so that the heads 38, frictionally bear upon the outer periphery of the friction sleeve 40.

To eliminate rattling and noise caused by the striking of the mail box against the sides of the chute 2, in its upward and downward movement, the raw-hide or rubber wheels 15, 19 and 22, are provided to contact with and roll against the walls of the chute. The linked and flexible construction of the mail box permits the same to be raised or lowered through a chute having curves or bends therein caused by cross beams, floors or other peculiarities in the construction of the building in which the mail chute is installed.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a chute having a slot near the lower end thereof, a door near the upper end of the chute, a mail carrier within the chute to receive mail inserted through said slot, -mechanism for raising said mail carrier to the upper end of the chute, and automatic means in the upper end of the chute for holding the mail carrier stationary while said door is open to remove the carrier and for releasing the mail to permit downward movement thereof when the door is closed.

2. In a device of the class described, a chute, a mail carrier suspended therein, mechanism for raising the same, a door near the upper end of said chute, and means operated by opening said door automatically to check the movement of said mail carrier to permit mail to be removed therefrom.

3. In a device of the class described, a

chute, a mail carrier therein for receiving mail at the lower end of the chute, mechanism for elevating the mail carrier to the upper end of said chute, a door near the 7 upper end of the chute, and spring projected neans in the upper end of said chute contacted with and forced rearwardly by said door when the 531116 is closed and adapted to move outwardly to engage the mail carrier elevating mechanism to hold said mail carrier stationary when said door is open.

4. In a device of the class described, a chute, a mail carrier therein for receiving mail at the lower end of the chute, mechanism for elevating the mail carrier to the upper end of said chute a door near the upper end of the chute a projection thereon, and spring projected means in the upper end of said chute contacted with and forced rearwardly by said projection when said door is closed said spring projected means adapted to move outwardly to engage the carrier elevating mechanism to hold said carrier stationary when said door is open.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE D. PETERSON. lVitnesses CHARLES V. HILLS, J11, EARL M. HARDINE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, I). C. 

